A dog says...WWOOF

So, its been a while.

And as one might expect, a lot has happened. Since December 11th I have been on my lonesome. As my friends departed one by one, I became more and more anxious. As Tyson’s bus pulled away, I recall thinking “Balls. I am really alone now. I am more than 5000 miles away from home and I am alone. Home Alone 4: Lost in New Zealand.”

The first couple days were rough, but I immediately set to task. First thing was to let go of my final comfort: Miss Lucy.

She also left me in a week…finding a place with two smiley Lithuanian girls.

So there I was, a human mule walking down the streets of Auckland. I made plans to get out asap via public transport.

My first stop was in a small town named Opotoki…with a rather strange man named Brian and his Phillipino girlfriend. He was obsessed with opening minigolf courses all over the world. The Phillipines and Thailand will be the first to experience the bliss of Brian‘s Put Put. MINIGOLF. He talked my ear off about it. I gave what information I knew. That it was fun and that the risk of losing your ball was important.

He took me on ATV rides around his property which happened to be a whopping 1000 acres of natural bush…worth quite a pretty penny. I held on to the back of this thing as we flew up 45 degree inclines with him shouting something about a goats. While I did see a goat’s ass while it scurried away and some amazing views, I spent most of my time on the ATV focusing on avoiding death.

Other experiences at that farm include:

Holding our Christmas turkey as Brian decapitated it. It was a sobering moment for me. I will never again eat meat without thinking of the animal that died in order to feed me.

Operating a “scrub bar” on a rather steep hill that cut through small trees like a hot knife through butter. At first, operating a spinning blade of death on steep inclines is terrifying. Once you realize that you are in control of this blade of doom, its kinda fun.

The next stop was another wwoof house/yoga studio that could only be described as balls to the wall insane, literally during some poses.

Intense is the word that would sum this place up. A common day went something like:

Up at 6:30. Breathing work. Breakfast. Work. Lunch. Work. Yoga practice. Dinner. Meditation. Bed.

There was no down time. And Paul was one of those teachers who wasn’t afraid to teach in the old fashioned sense. You know, there was no coddling shit. It was more like…old style catholic school. Mess around and get smacked around. Aside from one instance in which I could not, for the life of me, figure out how to attach a catch to a mower…I did alright in this regard.

I could tell he saw me as a promising pupil. I listened and had the desire to learn. He gave my wood splitting proper form. He showed me how to operate a chain saw. He patiently explained his heavily bhuddist influenced ideas. The problem was, in my most humble of opinions, that while he spoke a lot of truth that he was having just as many problems living that truth.

He told me that one of the key’s to happiness and progress was to disassociate yourself from your ego….however this man’s ego was impregnable. When I challenged any of his ideas, he became annoyed. The look in his eyes was akin to an annoyed math teacher…having to again explain why 2 plus 2 equals 4. I became rather disillusioned as time wore on. I learned massive amounts of yoga and have awoken my feet…loosened my back up a bit, etc. However, I left that house feeling that no one knows anything. They believe in what they need to believe in. He knew what notes he had to play but couldn’t grasp the harmony.

There was a bitterness about him, an anger and resentment, a self assured attitude that all held him in a place of dissatisfaction. He seems like a man who will only teach what he knows, but accept no new lessons. I mean, shit, I played music in the house and he offered to put something on the main speakers. He put on Van Morrison’s “Enlightenment.”

Nothing new would be tolerated. Not even instrumental music.

Until today, I was on the road with Amanda, whom I survived the trials of the last house with. We developed a tight bond, both learning tons and battling insanity.

And now…I will become a fruit picker if things pan out right.

The best summation possible

Many props to my friend Vince who put this compilation of the trip together

The Trip

The moment

A theme of this trip has been an attempt to live in the moment. I have recognized that so often at home, my mind was in the future or the past. It still is a great deal, but with every passing day I am trying to focus more on what is right in front of me. To appreciate where I am, what I see, what I taste rather than take myself into the hopes of my future or the memories of my past.

This video...exemplifies that idea perfectly. Props to Sarah P. for finding this.

Smile, New Zealand

Picture Time.



Brad Groesch, as you have never seen before.






The Emerald lakes...



One of the most beautiful and peaceful places in all the world, probably.



This is Lucy, my sweet ride.

Until you do, you will not.

There has been a thought that I have consistently defeated out here.

Its a simple one. It goes "I cannot do this."

Soon, this enemy will be vanquished for good.

The first instance that really stands out for me was my first day tramp(intensive hike) somewhere around the Fox Glacier. It was an 4 hour trek up a mountain and a 4 hour mess coming down.

About an hour in, I actually thought I couldn't proceed. Imposing walls stood before me many a time. I climbed and I climbed and thought I had reached my peak many times. My lungs strained against years of smoking. My legs and arms throbbed with each step up. The only thing that kept me going was the belief that I could do it, that I would do it. And I did. We made it to the top. We were rained and hailed upon during lunch. I fell at least 5 times on my way down and stepped out of that forest with at a few whopper bruises and cuts to go with em....but I did what I had thought impossible.

Examples abound...sky diving, other hikes, even semmingly minute things as telling embarrassing truths and hopping on rocks across rivers.

Its all possible. Perception really does affect reality. I don't intend to let this slip away. Life is going to get more and more interesting as I start to accomplish goals that I require of myself rather than those required of me.

+30 to both Endurance and Willpower.

Living on 4 wheels

Last week, I left Christchurch with high expectations.

They have been met and more.

I worked on an organic farm called TreeHugger Organic for a week. I arrived Thursday afternoon and immediately set to work. My first task was mowing the lawn and even though it was a familiar usually tedious task back at home...I was giddy. To one side, mountains complete with snow on the summits...to the other...the pacific ocean.

Nathan and Steph own this beautiful and bountiful property. Myself and two other woofers named Jean Baptist and Carrie worked on it for the week I was there. Carrie is from a small town called Red Deer in Alberta Canada. She works in a historic site, churning butter and entertaining children on field trips. She brought a yukalaylee on the trip which was used to jam together and teach me cord progressions Jean Baptist is from...yeah..France. He's a DJ there and was constantly playing sweet reggae whilst doing some funky dancing.

We did all sorts of random work varying from weeding to operating to a giant tree destroying mulcher to transforming barley into BEER. We worked from early to late and enjoyed a beer and delicious, homecooked, organic feasts at the end of every day.

I couldnt have hoped for a better experience there. While every activity was great, the people made it what it was. Every night we ate dinner and drank wine, telling stories, listening to music and sometimes watching movies. Carrie, JB and I would have jam sessions as Nath and Steph listened and smiled. I was really sad to leave that place...but I woke up early and hit the road after one week.

I drove 5 hours to Queenstown to meet Tyson Vince and Sarah at noon.

We reunited once more and almost immediately headed off to Karawawa Bridge...to jump off of it with elastic cords tied to our feet.

I was scared. I just told myself to do it. And I did. I leaped out and yelled the whole way down. There is a video of this experience that will be shared at some point.

That night, we went to a campground next to a huge lake with mountains being mirrored in it. We skipped rocks, cooked up some food out of our vans, and sat around talking about our time apart as well as Buddhism with our only lighting being tiki torches and the stars.

We have hiked all around since then. I fell into a swamp. We have seen Milford Sound...which has to be the most beautiful site I have ever seen. Its been a trip both literally and figuratively. I am loving every minute of it. Even driving through this country seems surreal.

I am now in a backpackers getting some much deserved R&R..as well as a shower.

The only place you can ever go is forward

A lot has happened. I have climbed rock walls, skied, eaten new foods, cooked, and had incredible conversational and cinematic stimulation. I grew: in every way possible, no matter how averse I might have been to it.

But now, tomorrow is today and I am leaving what has come to be home. I have been challenged here. I struggled here. I loved it here. I will miss it. I feel similar to how I did when I left the U.S. This time, while I am still unsure, I know that uncertainty is nothing to feared. I know it has to be embraced.

More, please.